Need to reach women's SHG through government programmes

As part of the review meeting, the activities of Gaya Aid Committees, Panchayat Level Associations, Rural Poverty Alleviation Societies, Tamil Nadu Rural Livelihood Movement under the Tamil Nadu Corporation for Development of Women, projects implemented under the Urban Livelihood Movement, activities under the Deenadayal Grameen Kaushalya Yojana and the Tamil Nadu Rural Development Project were taken into account.

The programmes for the self-help groups through bank loans, skills training, employment opportunities and others were reviewed. "We need to create more women's self-help groups and work towards reaching out to self-help groups throughout the government's programmes," the minister said.

"Though the bank loans to self-help groups are being provided, the remaining objective is to complete the marketing of the products of the women's self-help groups through the 'GEM Portal' and to ensure that the 27 Poomala shopping malls in the districts are renovated and implemented. More number of stores should be set up for marketing and that steps should be taken to conduct petrol bunks through women's self-help groups on national highways and that the inauguration ceremony of the same under the Women's Kaya Aid Committees shall be done by Chief Minister M K Stalin.

The minister said that steps should be taken to set up e-Service Centers in all Panchayats through Women's Self Help Groups, through which booking of tickets, payment of electricity bills, issuance of passport, pan card, Aadhar and others can be done online.